10 Awe Inspiring Man Made Wonders Of The World

There are wonders all around. We see them in nature and we even amaze ourselves with the things we make. In the history of humankind there have been only a few man-made structures that have blown the minds of the modern world. We often sit and wonder how these wonders could have been constructed in times without the tools and machinery we have at our disposal these days. Sit back and be in awe of these 10 man made wonders.

Teotihuacan

This ancient religious complex is better known for its “Pyramid of the Sun”. It was a pre-Colombian city in the Valley of Mexico. It is thought that the construction of the city began in 100 BC and continued on through 250 AD. Other notable features of Teotihuacan is the Avenue of the Dead and the Pyramid of the Moon.

Karnak Temple

Karnak is said to be the second most visited ancient site in Egypt, next to the Great Pyramids of Giza of course. This colossal temple on the Nile River was a religious epicenter for Egyptians thousand of years ago. The temple is separated into four different precincts to honor different deities. Though one of them, the Temple of Amenhotep IV was deliberately dismantled because of the builder’s attempt to overthrow the priesthood that ruled the area. The full extent and layout is still unknown to this day.

Bagan Temples & Pagodas

Bagan is an ancient city located in Burma. From the 9th to the 13th century, it was the capital of the Kingdom of Pagan. This was the first kingdom to unify the surround regions which is now known of Myanmar. Over 10,000 Buddhist structures were built in the Bagan plains alone during the 11th and 13th centuries.

Forbidden City

This man made wonder is located in the heart of Beijing, China, and is now the home to the Palace Museum. Before it was a tourist destination, The Forbidden City was where China’s rulers ruled the land. The Chinese Imperial Palace served the Ming dynasty all the way to the Qing dynasty.

Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat was first a Hindu temple complex. It later became a Buddhist complex and then abandoned altogether. It is built in the jungles of Cambodia with vegetation growing through and into the structure. The outer wall is 13 feet tall and the grounds are surround by a moat that is 570 feet across. Quite a feat.

Petra

The historical and architectural city of Petra is well known for a variety of reasons. It is famous for the rock-cut architecture and advanced water conduit system. Al Khazneh, or The Treasury, is the sites most marvelous wonder and the main entrance to the man-made marvels that lie within. Petra is said to date back to around 100 AD.

Machu Picchu

In Peru sits the Lost City of Machu Picchu. Well, it isn’t lost anymore but up until 1911 it was unknown. The jungle had swallowed the entire city. Literally. The blocks that make up the pyramid weigh up to 50 tonnes with such slotted precision that you can’t slide a thin knife blade into the joints. This was all done without mortar.

Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal may be the world’s most beautiful building. Its architectural influences come from three of the more elegant style of Islamic, Persian and Indian. There were 28 varieties of semi-precious stones to adorn the the outside of the building for an exquisite finish. But, during the 1857 Indian Rebellion, the British ripped off many of these stones.

Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is the world’s longest man made structure. It is roughly 2,419 miles long and has been around for over 2500 years. The better preserved parts of the wall are located in Beijing. And, the entire wall can be seen from space!

Great Pyramids of Egypt

What else is there to say about the Great Pyramids of Egypt. They’re constantly regarded as the number one man-made structure in the world. Anyone can see why. The Great Pyramid of Giza, in particular, is the largest of the three and was built with about 2,300,000 stone blocks. The base covers 592,000 square feet and the four sides were built with such precision it would be a feat to do today. The Pyramid of Giza is the only eight-sided pyramid and this effect can only be seen from above.